Neumann debuts KH 120 II studio monitor
- Details
“It is part of the Neumann ethos to never be satisfied with what has been achieved so far,” says portfolio manager Stephan Mauer. “The KH 120 garnered hundreds of five-star reviews, yet we knew that we could make it even better. For the KH 120 II we’ve developed a novel woofer design that reduces distortion audibly and allows for much higher SPLs. In addition to an exceptionally flat frequency response from 44 Hz to 21 kHz (±3 dB), the KH 120 II also offers a linearised phase response. Which translates to clear mids with astonishing transparency as well as extreme accuracy in the time domain, i.e. precise impulse reproduction and finely resolved reverbs.”
This is made possible by DSP-controlled electronics whose sophisticated crossovers avoid the phase distortion caused by analog filters. The internal DSP also realises new standards in tonal consistency. The KH 120-II is made to extremely low tolerances of no more than ±0.5 dB. Stereo imaging, therefore, is razor-sharp. Digital electronics also allow for automatic room alignment using Neumann's MA 1 hardware/software solution (sold separately).
“Even the best studio monitor is dependent on its acoustic environment”, explains Neumann’s CEO Ralf Oehl. “So, being able to use the KH 120 II with Neumann’s Automatic Monitor Alignment MA 1 is an enormous advantage in terms of real-world performance. Finally, you can work with reliable reference-class monitoring even in less-than-ideal environments such as small studios or makeshift control rooms for mobile recording. But of course, the KH 120 II is also an excellent solution for professional studios, editing suites, and even immersive setups.”
The KH 120 II is also an update in sustainability. Neumann engineers took great care to develop a patent pending amplifier technology which combines superior audio performance with the energy efficiency of Class D.
The KH 120 II offers analogue and digital inputs (S/PDIF). It will also be available in an AES67 variant with redundant AES67 audio network ports that are fully compliant with broadcast standards such as ST 2110, ST 2022-7 redundancy, and Ravenna. At the same time, the KH 120 II AES67 is compatible with Dante-generated AES67 network streams.
